L.A. Requiem

Amazon.com

More than 10 years ago, I was shocked to learn that some puerile piece of fluff had won the Edgar for Best Paperback Original, when it was so obvious to me and virtually everyone else in the Western Hemisphere that the award should have gone to The Monkey's Raincoat, the book that introduced Elvis Cole, private eye, and is to this day one of the funniest books I've ever read.

The terrific Elvis Cole series has grown through the years, each book better than the last, but nothing prepared me for the quantum leap (yes, it's a cliché, but it belongs here) that Crais has made with L.A. Requiem. It's not as funny as the other books in the series, but it's a beautifully plotted detective story, rich with police procedure, and it will keep even the most sophisticated reader at sea right until the end. And that's what elevates this book to the level of literature.

This one is more about Joe Pike, Elvis's silent sidekick, than it is about Elvis. We learn, through Pike's own eyes, how his childhood made him the way he is today. It's also about a friendship so strong that it threatens Elvis's relationship with his beloved Lucy. It is a tender but dark book--a serial killer book--but it doesn't attempt to outgross the other serial killer books on the shelf. It is funny at times and chilling at other times, making it one of the rare books that can't help but linger in the memory long after it's been read and put away. --Otto Penzler

Book Description

Los Angeles is a city of perpetual reinvention. Inviting, with a promise of infinite hope, it can also be a glittering landscape of debilitating isolation. The city's lost souls take comfort in its promise--the notion that tomorrow could be the day to start all over again, to transform oneself into someone else. Someone more powerful, more beautiful, more daring.

At the core of L.A. Requiem is Joe Pike, a former cop with a past as dark and foreboding as his demeanor. His only stable relationship is with his partner of twelve years, Elvis Cole, a talented and quick-witted PI with skeletons in his own past.

When Pike's former lover is found dead at a reservoir in the Hollywood Hills, the duo is brought in by the woman's father to monitor the police investigation. But Pike's no stranger to the men and women in the LAPD's elite Robbery-Homicide Division, at least one of whom has been harboring a long-buried desire for revenge.

With a rich cast of characters reminiscent of Raymond Chandler's classic The Long Goodbye, L.A. Requiem is the apotheosis of Crais's writing career--a gripping novel that envelops Cole and Pike in an ever-tightening web of conspiracies, secrets, and mortal passions that threatens to destroy their friendship, and leave one, or both, dead.

Customer Reviews:

poorly written.......2007-09-29

I am beginning to think only those who love a book write a review. Others immediately dismiss it and go on to better reading. L.A. Requiem is my second attempt at Robert Crais. The first was Forgotten Man. This book was flat, characters were jumbled but I made my way through it. This highly touted L.A. Requiem just had to be better, but it isn't. The writing is poor. Elmore Leonard says to writers; don't write what they don't read. In Crais books I was skimming and scanning more than ever. At the rate I was skipping I could have finished it in nothing flat. Joe Pike, okay so he had a poor upbringing, he is just a rude man. Elvis Cole, oh who cares.

When the daughter of a tortilla tycoon is murdered, a detective ..........2007-08-07

... must solve the crime before his mysterious mercenary partner goes to prison as the prime suspect. Absorbing. Longer review available at my website the Impatient Reader. See My Amazon profile for URL.

Only one criticism.......2007-07-08

This is my third Elvis Cole novel. I find them exciting, "page turners", with humor. They are well written and intersting. There is one thing that reall bothers me, the totally unnecessary and gratuitous profanity, particulary using Jesus name in vain, that really bothers me. Thanks

Great addition to series.......2007-02-10

This is the 8th installment of the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. Elvis is a wise cracking but hard working gumshoe in LA. Joe is a man of few words but incredible action and redefines the term "silent partner". In previous books Elvis has been the narrator/main protagonist with Joe slipping in and out when needed and the author has done a very good job of not bringing Joe into the fray to save the day a la Mr. Wizard. Because of this, those of us who have read the series know Elvis fairly well - Joe, not so much. That all changes in this book. The "case" in this volume begins when one of Joe's friend's, (!), daughter disappears and quickly spirals into the pursuit of a serial killer - all with Joe Pike as the fulcrum. I try to read series such as this in order, both for simple chronology reasons and also to enjoy an author's development. This book is a case in point of the latter. As stated in earlier reviews, the reader gets a whole new perspective on Joe Pike and he says more in this book than in all the previous combined. We learn of his past and even get inside his head. The story slides back and forth in time as well as in narrative perspective - not just Elvis this time - without missing a beat. Even with a couple of fairly predictable plot "twists" this is an extremely entertaining book. Highly recommended.

Joe Pike steals the show.......2006-12-24

With "The Last Detective" I read it for Elvis Cole. With this book I read it for Joe Pike. There was a lot of great aspects to this book. But, mostly the great characters keep you reading. Robert Crais has a way of developing a character exactly how you want them to be or how you would want them to act. Oddly enough I did not really like Elvis's girlfriend Lucy, this time. But, I think that was intended. The one problem with this book is that I felt it dragged a little in the middle. Several times in order to get to the actual scene you had to navigate through some (although very well written) divergence. That said I only read two of the Elvis Cole books and I intend to read the rest of them.

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Delightful
Heartwarming
This Cabbage Never Grows Old!
A wonderful and heart-warming tale!!!
an uplifting story

Cabbage Requiem
R. L. Paul
Manufacturer: Helm Publishing (IL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Between the Rows

ASIN: 0972301194

Book Description

George Konert's once rich life is ending on a bitter note. He is estranged from his friends and neighbors, his wife is dead and his two daughters are distant and have not produced the grandchildren he longs for. A glut of cabbage from his garden becomes the catalyst that transforms him from an aging curmudgeon who has given up on life into an engaging and often hilarious man. Cabbage Requiem is the story of George's resurrection.

Customer Reviews:

Delightful.......2007-02-14

I found this story delightful reading. There is a sweetness about George that kept me reading into the next page to learn more of his character.

J. Adams

Heartwarming.......2007-02-09

"Cabbage" is a word that does not bring happy thoughts to my mind. But this book, by R. Paul, is truly delightful. This author is a master of bringing everyday events into life. Though there is not a main plot, one cannot put this book down. Its main character and his neighbors quickly become your real-life friends. This is a book to share with everyone you know and love. Don't pass it by!

This Cabbage Never Grows Old!.......2006-03-29

It is amazing how much trouble mixed with joy can be derived from the simple act of giving away cabbages in the neighborhood.
George Konert asks his beloved Grace, "Do you think I'm nuts?" while crows mock him from high in maple trees. George is 78 years old when he finds himself walking into a biker's bar wearing a leather jacket, jeans, and a bandana around thinning hair, while all around him are wearing every-day clothing. Gert is a rough and tumble young woman with a wicked sense of humor, and a mother who is as refined as any lady can be. Gert pays for one of George's cabbages, only to find she would get more than she bargained for.
The author of Cabbage Requiem - R. L. Paul - has created such wonderful unforgettable characters. Readers' hearts will be silently gathered by George Konert, who sheds tears from a lonely existence, who longs for the simple pleasures in life- a flourishing vegetable garden, seeing his busy daughters, and having the love of grandchildren to warm him through the long winter season.
Wisdom and compassion are the precious gifts George gives from a veritable garden of sweet harvests. The Cabbage Requiem is a fabulous story. It will leave readers pleading for more of George Konert.
The author R. L. Paul takes the humble cabbage grown from love and tenderness, to reveal the significance of this simple gift from the garden. This story carries insight into the heart that never grows old. Cabbage Requiem is enjoyable reading at its very best.
Rolling Seas Reviews

A wonderful and heart-warming tale!!!.......2005-03-29

This book is a must read. Mr. Paul has a very special gift in developing his characters so that they truly become a part of your life! George is such a wonderful and truly extraordinary character that makes you appreciate life and all it has to offer regardless of your age. It leaves a lasting impression on your heart!

an uplifting story.......2005-02-23

As with any good story, I always looked forward to getting back to Cabbage Requiem to read more. However, I didn't consciously realize that something was building steadily in the narrative, until the conclusion of the book when I suddenly had a powerful sense of the journey from barrenness to abudance that had taken place. I have to say it took my breath away for a second,and made me think about how one positive step can turn a life around -- a good lesson for all of us.

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Review of author David Lindsey
An interesting and powerful beginning that was not sustained
The Worst I have read!
Excellent spy thriller!
predictable but worth the read

Requiem for a Glass Heart
David L. Lindsey
Manufacturer: Time Warner Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0751518522

Book Description

REVENGE CAN BE ECSTASY.

Irina Ismaylova is a sexual assassin, luring men and women to her bed...and their death.  From St. Petersburg to Paris, she kills not for money or for pleasure, but under orders from the Russian mafioso who holds her in thrall.  Desperate to buy back what is left of her shattered life, Irina must carry out
one last mission....

Cate Cuevas is a special agent in Houston's FBI office.  Devastated by her husband's death--and his betrayal--she has plunged into the most dangerous
assignment of her career.  But to succeed, she must form a secret and profoundly intimate alliance with the enemy: Irina Ismaylova.

Two women.  One a cop.  The other a killer.

For these two there is no right, no wrong, no rules.

Only the truth...and terror.

Customer Reviews:

Review of author David Lindsey.......2007-08-11

So far of what I have read this is going to a great book. I like the author, David Lindsey. I rather like when he has his Dect. Stuart Hayden in it seems to add more thrill to his books.

An interesting and powerful beginning that was not sustained.......2005-09-26

I generally enjoy David Lindsey's work. His research into location is extraordinarily good and he always manages to evoke a strong sense of place. Often, between the graphic portrayals of violence there is powerful and graceful writing. Perhaps this genre provides an excusable opportunity for improbable plots, and plots do tend to be a little contrived with Lindsey. Likewise his characters, while strongly and carefully detailed often seem to be just not credible.

"Requiem for a Glass Heart" begins with an explosive jolt of violence and this tension is topped up periodically as the story unfolds. The writing is skillful and often surprisingly sensitive. But, for me at least, the plot just did not work and the characters - especially Irina the affection-starved, child-loving, drug-addicted, assassin - just seems difficult to come to terms with. There is a strong sense of place and many memorable moments are captured deftly by Lindsey's excellent writing skills. However, the whole story started coming apart for me towards the middle and never came together again after that. Although I normally read books to the final page, I found myself skimming through more and more improbable scenes and connections and barely made it to the end.

I found the book disappointing and in places unnecessarily crude and contrived for effect. Not, I am afraid, one of David Linsey's better products.

The Worst I have read!.......2002-07-25

This novel is a complete waste of time and money. Don't you dare buy this book.

Excellent spy thriller!.......2002-07-09

Just the ticket to fill my yearning for a good spy novel after seeing the movie Bourne Identity last week. I did not want this book by David Lindsey to end! It was so interesting, exciting, but in just the right amount to keep you intellectually stimulated. It was believable and so well-written I just loved reading it so much. The end was fine, I was a little confused about it, but I liked the book so much I would read something by Mr. Lindsey again in a minute. I could hardly put this book down. Irina, Krupatin, Cate, and Leo were really interesting characters as were Bontate and Wei.

predictable but worth the read.......2001-09-23

I really liked this book. I admit I was able to see how it would all play out but enjoyed the ride anyway. Irina is the likeable lady killer and Cate the undercover FBI agent/ friend. I thought the story was fun and I enjoyed the character of Wei the chinese mafia don. There are no real surprises in this book and the ending was obvious but the writing is swift and entertaining and the players memorable. Not for brain surgeons but not for the challenged either. Fun summer reading.

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Berliner requiem (L'Espace critique)
Jean Michel Palmier
Manufacturer: Editions Galilee
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

French | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 2718600322

D'un requiem pour l'homo sapiens, tome 2 : Le Dieu brisé

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D'un requiem pour l'homo sapiens, tome 2 : Le Dieu brisé
David Zindell , and Marianne Thirioux
Manufacturer: Florent Massot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 2845880731

Danlo, tome 1 : D'un requiem pour l'homo sapiens

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Danlo, tome 1 : D'un requiem pour l'homo sapiens
David Zindell , and Marianne Thirioux
Manufacturer: Florent Massot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 2845880723

FANTASY BOOK - Volume 4, number 3 - September Sept 1985: Changes; Turnabout; Chivalry; Satan's Hook; The Dark at the End of the Tunnel; Requiem; Wolf Song; The Weird of Mazal Dey; The Castle of the Sparrowhawk; Inside Man; The Vixen; In the Frozen Zoo

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FANTASY BOOK - Volume 4, number 3 - September Sept 1985: Changes; Turnabout; Chivalry; Satan's Hook; The Dark at the End of the Tunnel; Requiem; Wolf Song; The Weird of Mazal Dey; The Castle of the Sparrowhawk; Inside Man; The Vixen; In the Frozen Zoo
Dennis (editor) (Josepha Sherman; Mercedes Lackey; Esther M. Friesner; Jefferson P. Swycaffer; Richard Mueller; Kristine K. Thompson; Lee Barwood; John Gregory Betancourt; Harry Turtledove; H. L. Gold; Lee Adkins; Robert Frazier) Mallonee
Manufacturer: Fantasy Book Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GVS93I

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Praise for Reqieum

Requiem
Teresa Carmody , and David L. Ulin
Manufacturer: Les Figues Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0976637138

Product Description

Requiem is a "folk opera, a lament for the unexamined life," writes editor and author David L. Ulin in his Introduction, "marked throughout by its own quiet tone of authority, which works to peel back the surface of what we imagine and examine what is going on underneath." Drawing out the elliptical plain talk of those who would refer to themselves as simple, using Biblical language to pierce the callous and bruised souls of these lost, and sometimes found, people, Carmody creates, says Ulin," art as observation, a literature constructed of the most minute details, a lens that allows us to see.

Customer Reviews:

Praise for Reqieum.......2005-12-09

Guilty of laconic eloquence, the people that inhabit these pages say a lot in a short space. The author has the uncanny ability to capture the inner monologue so that one gets an incrediblly strong sense of what the characters are up against. The pieces are gripping, heartfelt, provocative inquiries into the nature of equity, grief, God, family and connection. It is a sinner's guide to Chrstianity in the post-modern world. This is a short novella and a quick read, which leaves you wanting more. Much more.

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Requiem for a Fine Lady
Irma L. Sutton
Manufacturer: Carlton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ND84YI

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Requiem For A Vampire
Larry, L. Deibert
Manufacturer: Mundania Press LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1594264821

Book Description

Chained to a wall in an abandoned warehouse, twenty-one year old Lani Jorgenson, the daughter of a minister becomes a vampire. Her creator, Marcus Bronson, lies dead on the floor, his head severed from his body. Lani breaks her bonds and seeks her first victim. With his blood, she gathers the strength she will need to begin her new life. She reads Marcus's journals and finds out many things, he, once known as Marcellus Bratius, learned in his two thousand years as an immortal. One hundred and twenty five years later, in 1965, she falls in love with David Forrester. Though she longs for a mate, she cannot bring herself to subject him to a life of vampirism. Lani hypnotizes him to forget her and leaves the area, but David eventually remembers everything and vows to hunt her down and destroy her. Near the end of the second millennium, Kathleen Hammond, a reporter for the Morning Call, goes to the scene of a death. The stone white corpse of Jason Weber alerts her to the fact that a vampire may really exist. With the help of David and several other believers, they unite to hunt Lani and face her in a final battle of good versus evil.

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For Better and for worse

Snore

Exelent!

Badly done novel of betrayal and magic.

A tale of betrayal and awakenings.
Shadowrun 02: Choose Your Enemies Carefully (Shadowrun)
Robert N. Charrette
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Charrette, Robert N. | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Shadowrun 03: Find Your Own Truth (Shadowrun)

Shadowrun 01: Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadowrun)

Shadowrun 06: Never Trust an Elf (Shadowrun)

Shadowrun 07: Into the Shadows (Shadowrun)

Shadowrun 09: Shadowplay (Shadowrun)

ASIN: 0451450876

Customer Reviews:

For Better and for worse.......2004-06-26

The second book of Robert Charrette's 'Secrets of Power' series is better than the first novel. He weaves several sub-plots into an at least semi-coherent whole, but many of the flaws present in his first book are present in this as well.

There are few characters for the reader to really identify with. His 'hero' Sam Verner is a whiney, pedantic, and obtuse. He possesses few character traits that lead you to care about him, but we are forced to follow him nevertheless.

If you enjoyed the first book, or are a fan of shadowrun then you will love this. The concept is interesting, and the writing style is adequate, if not particularly memorable. The reading level for this book (as with his other two) seems to be about seventh grade level. If you are seeking a deep, meaninful novel that makes you think, then I suggest that you pass this one by. Otherwise dig in. It is a nice 'mindless' read that I pull out from time to time when I don't want to tackle anything more compelling.

Snore.......1999-05-26

This book was absolutly SLOW! Compleatly different from the first, it features random violence and contrived romance. Not worth more than a buck.

Exelent!.......1999-05-18

This book has to be one of the best I've read since I finished the previous book in the seiries. An interesting plot (though all the threads do not join together at the end) and good characters. All around a good book.

Badly done novel of betrayal and magic........1999-01-16

I am going to start by saying that I like Charrette's books, but not on account of this one. Almost no convincing attempt is made to explain why the characters act and feel the way they do. Sam's reaction to Dodger's "betrayal" makes no sense, he was acting in Sam's best interests. Coincidentally, the lies he betrayed Sam with turn out to have the same effect in the end as if they were truth. Hart, the exotic elf and top knotch shadowrunner, who betrayed and tried to kill Sam, for some reason falls in love with him. Sam is constantly labeled to be average looking, but he becomes the lover of two beautiful women in this trilogy. I found the magical scenes boring, the best parts of this book were the Matrix runs, which Charrette does well in all of his books that I have read. This book has rushed feel to it, as middle books of trilogies sometimes do.

A tale of betrayal and awakenings........1998-02-03

The second book in the Secrets of Power trilogy. In this book, the main character (Sam Verner) learns the true fate of his sister, and struggles to find out more. He begins to lose trust in even his closest friends. Read the book to find out more. An entrancing novel. Again I find myself lost in the writings of Robert N. Charrette.

Shadowrun: Never Deal with a Dragon, Choose Your Enemies Carefully, Find Your Own Truth (3 Book Boxed Set)

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Shadowrun: Never Deal with a Dragon, Choose Your Enemies Carefully, Find Your Own Truth (3 Book Boxed Set)
Robert N. Charrette
Manufacturer: ROC/Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MZPNF0

Shadowrun: Choose Your Enemies Carefully

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Shadowrun: Choose Your Enemies Carefully
Robert N. Charrette
Manufacturer: New Amer Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000WCNSUA

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Men Like Gods

Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FNEN1O

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A window into a mind...

Another Misguided Utopia

a bit of a revelation...

Men Like Gods
H. G. Wells
Manufacturer: House of Stratus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Wells, H.G. | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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The World Set Free

ASIN: 0755104137

Book Description

1923. English novelist, journalist, sociologist, and historian, famous for his works of science fiction, Wells's best-known books are The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The War Of The Worlds. Wells's utopian tale of a land of men and women where they are bright and happy, healthy and long-lived and their appearance is likened explicitly to Greek deities. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

Download Description

The Utopian physiology, relieved of these merely defensive necessities, had simplified itself and become more direct and efficient. This cleaning up of infections was such ancient history in Utopia that only those who specialized in the history of pathology understood anything of the miseries mankind had suffered under from this source, and even these specialists do not seem to have had any idea of how far the race had lost its former resistance to infection.

Customer Reviews:

A window into a mind..........2005-08-20

Truly a rare find, this book gives us a deeper insight into the life and times of the author, H.G. Wells. It does so indirectly, though, for it is not a book about his life as it was or about his world as he saw it but rather a book about how certain characters respond to encountering a civilization other than their own. The characters were written by Wells in a way that reflects certain attitudes and moral values of his time. As such their feelings, their actions, their strengths and their foibles are commentary not only on their own society but on modern humanity as a whole.

Another reviewer on this board has given this book a poor rating, seemingly because the utopian ideal depicted in the book is not possible nor scientifically logical. While that is certainly the case, is "The Time Machine" any less enjoyable becuase temporal physics doesn't work the way Wells writes it as working? Is "The Lord of the Rings" any less enjoyable because there are no such things as elves?

When reading this book I would not suggest that you look upon it as a plan for building a utopian future. It is fantasy and not a guide to world-building. Instead, look at the idea of perfection Wells puts forth... look at the things he sees lacking in his own society and wishes somehow could magically become part of it. Look on this work not as a treatise on how to make the the world perfect, but rather as an author's delving into the reality of the human condition and his hopes and fears of what that condition could become... not through evolution but through the power of the mind to change who we are.

If you read it in that light, I think you will find it both enlightening and enjoyable to read.

Another Misguided Utopia.......2001-07-28

I like Wells' SF books. This one has a SF aspect to it, but it is primarily a work of social philosophy. British travelers are accidently transported into another dimension, where human beings live a life of productive labor, sociability (no one is too introspective), lack of private property, and almost complete nudity. According to Wells, this is paradise, and people here are not much different from Gods. It turns out that in this dimension, civilization had taken almost exactly the same course as it did on our Earth. The differences are superficial. Then at some point during the industrial age, a great transformation began to take place. Over the course of a hundred or so generations, private property in all but personal things was abolished, there were no more sexual preditors, and people have become open with strangers in their thoughts and actions. They have also become much taller, stronger, much more beautiful and intelligent.

This utopia relies on the Lamarckian misconception of biological evolution, where acquired improvements are transmitted to the next generation, culminating in a generation of God-like human beings. It also relies on the misconception that private property is at the root of societal evils and that people would want to get rid of it for good.

a bit of a revelation..........1999-05-01

If all you've read of Wells is The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and The Island of Dr. Moreau, you're not getting the full story. This novel--writen some twenty-five years after the aforementioned works--shows the author's more philosophical side; there's less of the straight SF romance aspect to it; it's also, in my estimation, a considerably more gripping read.

In short, it's about a group of people who are inadvertantly drawn into an alternate dimension, which turns out to be a paradisiacal version of Earth thousands of years in ahead of contemporary society. There's some action involved, but it's more a book of moral philosophy than anything else, as it explores issues of what humanity should be and be striving for. I liked it a lot, and you should try to find a copy and read it.

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Amazing

Very helpful

To Be a Father Like the Father
Michael E. Phillips
Manufacturer: Christian Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Culture | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0875094759

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2004-04-21

This book is incredible. It has helped me immesely with raising my kids.

Very helpful.......2000-06-26

I had the opportunity to read this book and review it when I was a broadcaster working in Christian radio, at the time it was first published. Back then, I was neither married nor a father. Now, married and the father of a wonderful little boy, I find Michael Phillips' Christ-centered fathering advice to be a great help in these times.

Amazon.com

From the time it first emerged as a renegade liberating voice in the early 1950s, beat writing changed the American social literary scene. Poets like Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti altered the sound of U.S. poetry while Jack Kerouac's bebop chant--particularly in his classic On the Road--literally changed how Americans spoke. The beats' fame became so great so quickly that their critics accused them of hypocrisy. Not so Jack Spicer; while Ginsberg and Kerouac were busy publishing and promoting their work, Spicer--whose original lyric voice and gay content still resonate today--spent most of his time disdaining the publishing world and making enemies. In Poet Be Like God, journalist Lewis Ellingham and experimental novelist Kevin Killian have produced not only a fully realized portrait of Spicer, but a complexly woven historical and literary tapestry. Spicer emerges here as a brilliant, difficult, and largely unlikable man whose talent for writing matched his inability to function in the world. Ellingham and Killian are equally concerned with explicating the San Francisco renaissance and charting the emergence of North Beach as a gay neighborhood; Poet Be Like God thus rediscovers Jack Spicer for a new generation of readers and presents us with a unique and startling look at gay and literary history. --Michael Bronski

Book Description

Jack Spicer, unlike his contemporaries Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and Gary Snyder, was a poet who disdained publishing and relished his role as a social outcast. He died in 1965 virtually unrecognized, yet in the following years his work and thought have attracted and intrigued an international audience. Now this comprehensive biography gives a pivotal poet his due. Based on interviews with scores of Spicer's contemporaries, Poet Be Like God details the most intimate aspects of Spicer's life -- his family, his friends, his lovers -- illuminating not only the man but also many of his poems.

Such illumination extends also to the works of others whom Spicer came to know, including the writers Frank O'Hara, Robert Duncan, Denise Levertov, Helen Adam, Robin Blaser, Charles Olson, Philip K. Dick, Richard Brautigan, and Marianne Moore and the painters Jess, Fran Herndon, and Jay DeFeo. The resulting narrative, an engaging chronicle of the San Francisco Renaissance and the emergence of the North Beach gay scene during the 50s and 60s, will be indispensable reading for students of American literature and gay studies.

Customer Reviews:

Spicer's Gnosticism.......2002-09-05

Spicer and Ginsberg influenced one another, as is clearly shown in this book. Ginsberg stole a lot of his ideas from Spicer, but he was still the greater poet because he touched upon the conversation of his times, while Spicer went whacko and had no real impact on his culture. Academics have taken up Spicer, but this has again had no echo at all in the popular culture.

It's particularly interesting to study the automatic side of Spicer's poetics from surrealism forward -- the relinquishing of choice for a ouija board automaticism that resulted in odd nonsense that probably did not come from the dead, but resulted in an arcane verse that did indeed catalyze some of the lazier aspects of SF poetry but which was a dead end.

Magisterial biography that brings to life a tormented alcoholic who was not even trying to be nice, or even well-dressed, enough, to enter into the public forum.

His best work is the discussions he offered in The House that Jack Built -- astounding to see what he could do when he DID enter into the public conversation. Too often in his poetry he seems to be mumbling to himself. Poets need to reconnect to the real world -- because the world is real -- it has an ecology and texture, and the poets who got this will survive. Others form dead ends into their lost selves.

Gnosticism is a dead end.

Essential Reading (Not An Exaggeration).......2000-07-15

Poets in the 1950s and 1960s have been well served by some of their biographers, and in this thrilling critical treatment of Jack Spicer and the poets of the San Francisco Renaissance, Ellingham and Killian join the ranks of Peter Davison (The Fading Smile: Boston Poets from Lowell to Plath) and Bill Berkson and Joe LeSeur (Homage to Frank O'Hara) in magically capturing the soul of an important school in the poetic ferment of those years. The San Francisco circle around Spicer was intense, prolific and inspired, but they didn't get the publicity that the New York poets received or that the Beats had showered on them. Lack of media attention didn't stop them. They were dedicated to a pure vision of poetry as an almost religious vocation. On his hospital death bed in 1965 (he died at 40 from acute alcohlism), Spicer told friend Warren Tallman, "I was trapped inside my own vocabulary." His genius/mania to use that vocabulary in service of the Muse produced great work and reminded others of the seriousness of their purpose. Spicer, in all his contradictions and drives, leaps from these pages. The book as a whole bristles with the very energy it celebrates, both poetic and sexual (intrigue was in their blood), and is essential reading for all of us interested in the circles that nurture poetry in every creative center. As if that is not enough, the quotations from a vast number of interviews of the surviving participants make this a delicious oral history as well as a compendium of hair-raising gossip of the wild times in North Beach before tourists took it over fom artists.

Jack Spicer was not a Beat poet........1998-08-25

I have read Poet Be Like God, and I wish neither to rate it (but there's no option available that allows one to opt out of the rating game) nor review it, but to make a correction to the idiotic Kirkus review: Jack Spicer was NOT a "Beat" poet. There were a group of Beat poets in San Francisco in the late 1950s, early 1960s (e.g.,Bob Kaufman), but Spicer wasn't one of them. His intentions in poetry were different from theirs; naturally, so was his aesthetic. Spicer was part of a triumverate of poets that included Robert Duncan and Robin Blaser who met at the end of World War II in Berkeley, Ca., and were sometimes known as the Berkeley Renaissance group, or more simply, and more accurately, as part of the San Francisco poetry scene (which was part of the New American Poetry movement). That the Kirkus reviewer could make such an elementary and stupid mistake should be taken as a clear indicator of the idiocy of the rest of the Kirkus piece of schlock.

Important biography of crucial postmodern poet.......1998-06-04

I find that the Kirkus review available here does ill-service to this important biography of Jack Spicer. One would have no inkling, from reading this review, that Spicer's poetry is one of the most influential sources for postmodern poetry and poetics in the 1990s. It is not some recent academic fad to study Spicer; rather, Spicer has been a crucial poet for many younger writers for over three decades. This biography, published at the same time with his collected lectures, should provide the opportunity for even more serious study of his work.

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MEN LIKE GODS
H.G. Wells
Manufacturer: Macmillan, New York, 1923.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NTFVO8

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Men Like Gods

Manufacturer: Armed Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000E4NW9I

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Men Like Gods
Drusilla Campbell
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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MEN LIKE GODS - COLLECTOR'S ITEM
H.G. WELLS
Manufacturer: MACMILLAN PUBLISHING USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KVERMG

Men Like Gods and The Dream (The Works of H.G. Wells - Volume 28)

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Men Like Gods and The Dream (The Works of H.G. Wells - Volume 28)
H. G. Wells
Manufacturer: Classic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1582014272

Book Description

"In this book we will communicate just how competitive and serious the business of specialty food retailing is today. We will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the industry, the market today, tools to [enable you] to make a commitment to go ahead, a thorough outline for your business plan, checklists for the most important planning stages, anecdotes and recommendations from the top players in the industry, and tips and insights into the intangibles of what makes good businesses good. You will have a better chance of success by being well armed and taking all the right precautions through careful preopening research and development. And you will see that, for success, it is not just information and organization but ample funding that will give your new business a fighting chance to ripen, develop, and succeed. Guided by this text and the accumulated wisdom of sage retailers who've paved the way, and fueled by your own enterprising spirit and imagination, dream big, plan carefully, and proceed with confidence to success." — From the Preface of Gourmet to Go

It begins with a dream, a longing for the independence, self-reliance, and creative freedom of running your own specialty take-out food store. But if you want that dream to become a reality, you can't rely solely on your expertise as a chef, manager, or owner of a previous business — you'll need to develop all of those skills and more. You need a comprehensive, reliable information source that shows you what to expect and prepares you to deal with the unexpected. You need to learn from the successes and failures of others how to envision, plan, finance, establish, and run a successful gourmet retail operation. You need Gourmet to Go.

This full-spectrum guide offers solid direction on every aspect of the retail specialty food industry. Making liberal use of case studies, Robert Wemischner and Karen Karp lead you step by step through each phase of the development and operation of a take-out gourmet store. They help you find the concept that's right for you, write a business plan, and secure the financing you'll need. Next, you'll discover what to look for in choosing your location; how to communicate with designers, builders, and contractors; and the ins and outs of legal structure and complying with government regulations. You'll learn how to select graphic designs, purchase and price merchandise, hire and train employees, set store policies, and manage your cash. Each of these issues is presented in a clear, forthright style that enables you to understand your options and make informed choices. You'll also learn how to:

Market and promote your store and build a steady clientele
Exceed your customers' expectations for quality and service
Use in-store signage and irresistible merchandise displays to increase sales
Expand or convert an existing business
Fine-tune your business to promote growth

Whether you're a foodservice professional yearning for independence or a retailer looking to expand or transform your current business; whether you're a caterer wanting to offer your creations to a broader public or a successful manager in search of a great business opportunity, Gourmet to Go helps you start strong and guides you every step of the way, until your dream comes true.

Customer Reviews:

A great guide.......2004-11-20

A friend recently opened a store and this book has acurately addressed some of the issues we are experiencing. The author has a knack for addressing both personal issues such as self doubt, fear, relations with partners as well as topics related to the business. He compels the entrepreneur to think hard about the objectives of his undertaking and then walks him through it step by step.

The sections on site location and templates for creating a business model, mission statement and feasability study are better than two other books that I had purchased.

Most of the book has little to do with specialty food and more about the decision and execution process of opening a new place. I would recomend it to both someone just toying with the idea and someone who is already established.

Invaluable Tool.......2003-06-14

I have been working on opening a specialty food shop/cafe and got stuck on the logistics of planning. After using several guides and books I randomly found (and getting NOWHERE) I decided to buy Gourmet to Go on a recommendation. It is THE best thing I could have ever bought, hands down. It seems that all the questions I had were answered in the book, and the structure of the book leads readers down a logical path through the maze of planning for this type of business. If you are to buy any book on this topic, this is the one. The money spent on this book will save you thousands later on. Two thumbs up!

Good for starting stores or providing to stores........2003-06-07

This is an excellent treatise of starting a specialty food store or, perhaps is even more beneficial to one who wishes to wholesale food products to place in food stores or delis..

People wanting to cash in on the current trend towards take-out convenience need this book, as well as From Kitchen To Market and How To Get Your Product Into Supermarkets.

The three books are invaluable for overlapping reasons. A prospective store operator needs to understand how to setup his or her store and, just as important, how their competition operates. Beginning store operators also need to understand their industry in detail not merely from the viewpoint of their competition and from their customers, but from their suppliers position.

Gourmet To Go does a great job from a narrow viewpoint. Probably the only topic not suffriciently explored is the hands'-on advice. Perhaps the next edition will detail the possibilities for including rollergrills, microwaves and how to earn what the industry refers to as "Plus-sales." I'm speaking of the technique in all fast food chains and convenience stores to get customers to spend more money.

Other hands-on topics that should be discussed are controlling theft and the experience of many store operators who have lost significant chunks of money in providing lottery tickets. I know of a feww whose losses exceeded $10,000. Adding insult to injury, lottery only reimburses stores from one to three percent of gross sales and pay-outs for winning tickets. Despite such a poor return on investment, many stores consider it mandatory to provide lottery.

Further, computerizing the store could be considered, as well as installing UPC readers. It is not uncommon to see even the smallest store using such equipment. Yet, those installing such systems all seem to have to reinvent the wheel.

Again, buy this book but augment it with From Kitchen To Market and with How To Get Your Product Into Supermarkets so you can keep up with and, perhaps, improve upon your competition and keep customers, suppliers and yourself happy!

Primer on Contemplating Gourmet Store Venture.......2003-04-04

Having some experience with new product projects for major corporations, this somewhat smaller scale, but nonetheless similar principled look at the operations and craft of specialty food store biz is well-done.

It is full of relevant and cogent thoughts for anyone interested in this market niche. What I found very well done is the sections of writing the biz plan and the steps therein critical to putting together and then implementing such.

Also included are fairly thorough lists of resources such as consultants, trade journals, suppliers, etc.

What could possibly have been additionaly useful was stress on two key areas: concentration on obstacles and their probability of happening (i.e. scenario plotting) and finding and use of two key players from the outset: attorney and accountant/tax specialist.

Don't even think of opening a gourmet food store without it........2002-01-28

Although, as the name suggests, this book is geared mainly towards gourmet to go operations (specialty food stores with emphasis on catering and gourmet take-out) it is an invuluable resource for anyone thinking about entering the gourmet food industry.

I wasted all kinds of time and money on general business start-up books and learned little more that nothing about starting a gourmet food store (or any business for that matter). The business plan section alone is better than a whole book I purchased on the subject. I found every bit of Gourmet to Go to be extemely useful and after reading it couldn't believe I had even considered going into business without it.

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Gourmet To Go A Guide to Opening and Operating a Specialty Food Store
Karen Karp Wemischner Robert
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UEHOC8

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